Leaders embrace appointment of UN envoy

In a significant development for the longstanding Cyprus issue, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, former Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs, as his personal envoy for the region. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides welcomed the decision, expressing satisfaction and signaling a renewed commitment to finding a solution.

A press release issued on Friday highlighted President Christodoulides' longstanding goal to engage the international community, particularly the UN, in reevaluating the prospects for restarting talks. The aim is to build upon the discussions that stalled in 2017 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The release emphasized the President's determination to continue working towards resuming talks based on agreed-upon foundations and ultimately reaching a solution aligned with UN resolutions and EU principles.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has also agreed to meet with Holguín Cuéllar under pre-established conditions, according to a statement from the leadership of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state. Tatar reportedly accepted Guterres' proposal for a Personal Envoy on December 10, stipulating that her appointment should not exceed six months. Her primary task will be to assess whether common ground exists between the two sides to initiate a formal negotiation process.

The statement further clarified that any formal negotiations can only commence upon "confirmation of the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people for sovereign equality and equal international status." The developments have injected renewed optimism into the Cyprus peace process, with both Cypriot leaders signaling readiness to engage constructively under the UN's auspices.

[Information sourced from KYPE]